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Parliament’s return is an opportunity for stability in Canada’s says the CFIB
September 15, 2025
By Rock to Road staff
Prime Minister Mark Carney. (Mark Carney / X) As Parliament returns today, nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of small business owners say that taxes are a serious concern to their business, finds new data by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
Nearly six in ten (59 per cent) are also concerned about operational costs, while 56 per cent are worried about uncertainty over economic conditions, states the CFIB.
“Between strikes, global supply chain interruptions, and crushing taxes and tariffs, small businesses have been to hell and back. Many have been adapting, pivoting and learning to live with constant uncertainty, but what they really need now is some stability,” said Corinne Pohlmann, executive vice-president of advocacy at CFIB. “Many businesses are scrambling to manage costs and make investment decisions. It’s time for the federal government to step up and give small firms the breathing room they need to survive and grow.”
The CFIB has created a petition which calls on Ottawa to deal with unfinished business. According to the CFIB, so far, the petition has garnered over 13,000 signatures.
“In addition to what was announced by the prime minister on September 5, business owners expect the federal government to provide more information on its plan to build a stronger economy and support Canada’s entrepreneurs as Parliament resumes. This fall, the government will table its first budget since the spring of 2024. It will need to include concrete measures that will reduce the tax and regulatory burden on SMEs, including a clear plan on how counter-tariff revenues will be returned to impacted small firms. Business owners will be watching closely to see if government follows through on its promises this legislative session,” said Jasmin Guenette, CFIB’s vice-president of national affairs.
Key small business priorities include:
• Ensuring that the economic measures announced last week are quickly clarified and implemented so that the money collected through Canadian counter tariffs is quickly returned to affected Canadian small businesses from all sectors.
• Quickly returning the remaining $600 million in 2024-25 carbon tax rebates to small businesses and ensuring they are tax-free as promised.
• Delivering on the promised increase to the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption to $1.25 million and implementing the promised Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive.
• Lowering the federal small business tax rate from nine per cent to zero per cent for the foreseeable future and increasing the small business deduction threshold from $500,000 to $700,000.
• Lowering the Employment Insurance (EI) premium rate for smaller employers to the same rate paid by their employees.
• Reducing red tape and working with provinces to implement full mutual recognition as a means of quickly eliminating internal trade barriers.